The Clyde Stone
by UsagiRyu
Summary: Keith has a kidney stone. His name is Clyde.


**Title:** The Clyde Stone

**Author:** April Richards  
**  
Rating:** T  
**  
Categories:** H/C, A/U,  
**  
Author's Note:** This is based on my recent experiences with my kidney stone. I figured if I had to suffer, I'd make Keith suffer to make myself feel better. And yes, I did name my Kidney stone "Clyde." This is not set in my "Wake Me" series or "The Secret King". It's a stand alone story.  
Jarlsberg Cheese is described here: .org/wiki/Jarlsberg_cheese  
And Tim Tams here: .org/wiki/Tim_Tam  
**  
Summary:** Keith has a kidney stone. His name is Clyde.

**DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN VOLTRON. I AM ONLY PLAYING WITH THEM. **

My name is Clyde. I started out much like a hail stone, as a tiny crystal. Only instead of living my life in the sky, deep in a cloud, I grew silently inside the right kidney of one Captain Keith Akira Kogane. For three years, while Keith fought Planet Doom and brought freedom to Arus, I grew bigger and bigger. Then, three months after he married the Crown Princess Allura and became King of Arus, I decided to move out of the kidney and got stuck...

**~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~**

King Keith Kogane of Arus rubbed his right side as Coran lectured him on the protocols of the upcoming Harvest Festivals and it's highlight, the Harvest Ball. Coran frowned. "Sire, are you alright?" He asked Keith.

"I don't know. My side is killing me. It's been hurting for three days now," Keith said then turned green. He ran to the trash can and vomited a bright yellow fluid.

"Maybe you should see Dr. Gorma, Sire," Coran suggested. "This can wait."

"Good idea," Keith nodded his head. He left his office and slowly and stiffly walked to the Castle of Lion's Infirmary. Once there, he signed in and sat down in a chair. He smiled wanly at a child with a large cut on her leg. "What happened?" He asked her.

The little girl lowered her eyes. "I was wunnin' an' I swipped an' fewwed, Siwe," She said with a lisp.

"I'm sorry to hear that. And you can call me Keith," Keith ruffled her hair.

The little girl's eyes widened. "Oh no. Mama an' Dadda says dat youse gotta be cawwed Siwe," She shook her head.

Keith smiled sadly. Just then, a nurse called out "Sire?" Keith stood up and winced as his side throbbed. "Come with me please," She motioned for Keith to follow her. She took Keith into a room and handed him a short hospital gown. "If you'll change into that gown, I'll come back in and talk to you."

"Sure," Keith nodded his head. As soon as the nurse left and closed the curtain, Keith stripped out of his tight jeans and red sweater and put on the gown. He sat on the bed and waited. A few minutes later, the nurse came back in.

"Sire, what brings you here?" The nurse, Emily, asked.

"I've had this sharp pain in my right side for three days and I threw up today talking to Coran," Keith said.

Emily wrote down Keith's information. "Sire, can you give me a urine sample?" She asked.

Keith blushed but nodded his head. "Yes, I can," He said.

"Good," Emily finished taking Keith's temperature and his blood pressure. "It's up a little bit, Sire, but that could be from the pain."

"Probably."

Emily lead Keith into a hospital bathroom and handed him a cup. "Pee in this and seal it up and bring it back with you," She said.

Keith turned red again and did as he was bid. As soon as he was done, he returned to his cubicle and sat, wishing he had thought to bring a book with him. Allura strolled into Keith's cubicle. "Hello, Love," She kissed him on the cheek. "Coran told me you were coming here."

"Yeah, I can't stand this pain anymore," He said, kissing her back.

"I've been telling you for days to go to Dr. Gorma."

"I know, Love, I know," Keith grinned.

Just then, Dr. Gorma walked in. "Well, Sire, I see you are here complaining of right flank pain. I'd like to examine you." He had Keith lay back and he listened to Keith's heart then his belly. He finally started pressing on his stomach. Keith let out a sharp curse as Dr. Gorma pressed on a tender spot on his side. "Well, sire, you either pulled a muscle which I doubt, or you have a kidney stone. I want to do a CT scan, so Nurse Emily will be bringing in some contrast for you to drink and she'll also start an IV so we can draw blood and give you something for the pain and nausea."

"Okay."

Dr. Gorma put his stethoscope around his neck and shook Keith's hand and bowed to Allura then left. Emily came in with a 32 oz cup of bitter contrast and a box of equipment for drawing blood. "Sire, I'm going to set your I.V. and draw some blood. Are you a bad stick?"

"What?" Keith asked, confused.

"Are you hard to get blood out of?" She clarified.

"Yes, I am," Keith admitted. "When they took my blood at the Academy, it took five attempts and two different people to get it so they could type it for my records."

"I'd better have the I.V. team do your I.V. then. They're experts at it," She decided. "Start drinking the contrast. It doesn't taste good, so drink it slowly. If you throw up, you'll have to start over again."

Keith took a sip of the contrast and made a face. "Lovely."

Emily smiled and patted Keith's hand. "Good luck, Sire."

A young I.V. Team member, named Greg, came into the room. "Hello, Sire, I'm Greg and I'm going to draw your blood and set up your I.V."

Keith held out his arm. "Go for it," Keith said.

"Yes, Sire." Greg tied a tourniquet around Keith's right arm and slapped it, looking for veins. "Wow, Your Majesty, your veins are tiny," He commented. "Okay I found one. Hold on," Greg wiped the skin with alcohol then said "Now, you'll feel a pinch." The needle slid in and blood welled up immediately. "Good. Now let me hook up the catheter." Greg quickly taped the catheter in place and drew the blood for the tests. "Now, if you need medication it will go through the I.V."

"Great," Keith smiled at the I.V. tech.

"Sire, Queen Allura," Greg bowed then left.

Allura squeezed Keith's hand. The Royal Couple waited for over two hours while Keith drank all the contrast. Keith struggled to down the contrast due to the nausea that threatened to cause him to vomit again. Finally, Emily came back in and gave Keith Toradol and Zophram for the pain and nausea. Keith relaxed slightly as the medications went into his system and the pain eased up. An orderly came in with a wheelchair. "Sire? I'm going to take you up to Radiology now."

"Okay. How long will I be up there?"

"An hour or so."

"Honey, why don't you go and lay down or something. You've been on your feet all day," Keith kissed Allura.

"I'll lay down on your bed." Allura crawled onto the bed and laid down.

Keith was wheeled to Radiology and taken into a room with the CT machine. The technician helped Keith onto the table and hooked up an I.V. pump full of the contrast. "Oh, Sire, this will make you feel warm and feel like you've wet yourself, but you haven't."

"Oh boy," Keith groaned. As the contrast flooded his system so did a wave of intense warmth and a weird metallic taste filled his mouth. Then he was put into the CT machine.

**~*~ ~*~ ~*~**

An hour later, Keith was wheeled back into his cubicle. He crawled into bed and put his arms around Allura. His hand rested on her small baby bump. Under his fingers, he could feel the baby's faint but steady and rapid heart beat. They waited for the test results. Suddenly, Keith's stomach growled. Keith blushed. "Sorry but I didn't eat anything today."

"Let's ask Dr. Gorma if you can have something to eat," Allura suggested.

As soon as Dr. Gorma walked in, Keith asked "Doctor, may I please have something to eat?"

"Sure, we'll have a boxed lunch brought up for you. Well, Sire, you have a 6 millimeter stone in your right ureter. It's about an inch down from your kidney. That's what causing the pain. Now a stone that is 5mm or smaller has a chance of passing on its own with out any problems. Your stone? It might not. But let's give it a week. If it doesn't pass in a week, go to Dr. Bisignani. He's a Urologist one of the best on Arus. And go from there."

"Okay. What about the pain?" Keith asked.

"I'll give you some pain pills and something for the nausea. Also, you have a raging UTI. So I am going to put you on an IV of antibiotics then give you seven days worth of oral antibiotics to take."

"Oh great," Keith sighed.

The nurse hooked up the bag of antibiotics and gave Keith a boxed lunch of a tuna salad sandwich, a bag of pretzels, chocolate chip cookies, and a banana. "What would you like to drink, Sire."

"Coke if you have it."

"We do."

"I claim the banana!" Allura called out and grabbed the banana. "Now if it only had Jarlsberg cheese melted on it."

"Jarlsberg cheese? Yuck," Keith made a face. "I can't wait until the weird cravings part of the pregnancy are over," He shuddered. Allura swatted him. "Ow!"

"Big baby," She teased. "My Tim Tams should should be arriving tomorrow. I can't wait!" She said, referring to Australian chocolate creme cookies that she was introduced to by Cliff from the Vehicle Voltron Force. Allura was instantly hooked on them. Her desire for them had increased since she got pregnant on her wedding night.

Keith ate his sandwich, the pretzels and the cookies. "I'm tired and the pain is coming back," He frowned.

"Page the nurse and tell her."

Keith pushed a button on his bed and called for the nurse. Emily came in and asked "What's wrong, Sire?"

"The pain's coming back."

"I'll see what Dr. Gorma ordered for you," Emily said and bowed to both Keith and Allura. She came back with a hypodermic needle. "I have some morphine for you."

"Thanks," Keith smiled at the nurse.

After the antibiotic bag emptied, Dr. Gorma came back into the cubicle. "Well, Sire, I'm going to discharge you. Drink plenty of cranberry juice and lemonade. And of course water. As much water as you can drink. We want you to flush this stone on your own. Also, Sire since you will be taking Vicodin for the pain, I want you off duty. I'll inform Galaxy Garrison."

"I'll call Sven to see if he can take over for Black for me," Keith sighed. Allura rubbed Keith's shoulders. Keith kissed her hand.

"Also, Sire, I know you like green tea, but I'm suggesting that you lay off it. Green tea can cause stone formation in people prone to them."

"No green tea?!?" Keith whined. "What am I to drink then?" Keith was known for drinking several large mugs of green tea a day.

"Try coffee," Dr. Gorma suggested.

Keith crossed his arms over his chest and sulked. "I hate coffee."

Allura groaned quietly. Keith was already cranky and he hadn't been sick that long. They were in for a long bout with this kidney stone, Allura knew it.

**~*~ ~*~ ~*~**

Two days later, Sven arrived on Arus with his fiancee, Princess Romelle, at his side. Allura ran to her cousin and hugged her. "Oh Rommie, it's good to see you!" She exclaimed.

"It's good to see you too, Ally," Romelle hugged her cousin back. "How is Keith doing?"

"Oh, he's miserable. Poor thing. The Vicodin wasn't handling the pain so Dr. Gorma upped it to Percocet. He's can't sleep at night either, so he's been dozing on and off during the day," Allura ran her hands through her long, blond hair.

"Poor dear," Romelle shook her head. "My father had a kidney stone once. It was only 3 millimeters, but he cried like a baby when it passed. The only time he ever cried."

"Keith's stone is six millimeters. Dr. Gorma's not even sure it will pass."

"Then why doesn't he remove it now instead of letting Keith suffer like that?" Romelle demanded.

"Because Dr. Gorma says that it's better that Keith pass it on his own then have surgery to remove it," Allura sighed. "Easy for him to say. He doesn't have to deal with a sick Keith like I do."

Sven laughed. "Keith hates being sick. And he's always a grouch on the rare occasion that he does get sick. I remember when he had his appendix out in the Academy. He bitched the entire time up until they put him out for the surgery."

"I remember how he was after he got the sword cut on his chest. Dr. Gorma had to keep him sedated for a few days so he'd actually rest," Allura rubbed her eyes. The group chuckled. "Let's go inside, it's warm out for a fall day," She said. "Nanny made cookies. Keith's not even eating much. He eats then throws up."

"Why isn't he back in the infirmary?" Sven asked.

"He doesn't want surgery and if he goes back, he's afraid they'll do surgery," Allura explained.

"Understandable. Surgery isn't fun," Romelle agreed.

The trio walked back into the Castle of Lions and to the Royal Apartment. Allura stuck her head into the large bedroom. "Love?"

"What?" Keith whined and rubbed his eyes.

"Sven and Romelle are here," Allura said quietly.

"Great," Keith got out of bed and put his robe on. It was a plush red robe that hung down to his feet. He walked out into the living room. "Here you go, Sven," Keith handed Sven the key to the Black Lion. "Take good care of her."

"I will, Keith, I promise," Sven nodded his head. "It will be strange to be flying in a Lion again."

"It will be strange to watch some one else flying Black," Keith admitted. Then he rubbed his side.

Allura looked at her watch. "You can take some more medicine Honey."

"But all it does is make me sleep," Keith whined.

"I know, Sweetie. But you need your rest. Drink some lemonade and go to the bathroom then rest some more," Allura ordered gently.

"Yes, Dear," Keith sulked. He went back into the bedroom and did as his wife bid him to do. He curled up under the blankets and waited for the Percocets to kick in so he could fall back asleep.

**~*~ ~*~ ~*~**

Three days later, Keith tossed and turned. He got out of bed and put his robe. He stormed out of the bedroom and found the Royal Apartment empty. "Allura?" He called out. He clicked on his wrist COM. "Allura? Where are you?" He asked.

"*I'm at Sven and Romelle's apartment, Sweetie,*" Allura said over the COM. "*Do you need anything?*" She asked, worried.

"No, but I woke up and you weren't here," Keith pouted.

Allura closed her eyes and sighed softly. "*I'll be right back over, Love,*" She said.

"Thank you, Love."

Romelle smiled sympathetically at her cousin. "Poor you, Allura. Do you want Sven and I to come over so we can visit while you baby sit your husband?"

"Thank you, Romy," Allura hugged her. "We have to plan your wedding, after all."

"I can't wait to get married," Romelle hugged her cousin back. The two looked like twin sisters instead of distant cousins. "Let's go to your husband before he calls again," Romelle giggled.

"He's been such a baby since he got sick," Allura rolled her eyes. "I'm sorry but in six months I'm going to be pushing a six pound baby out of an opening the size of a lemon. And I'll do it with out as much whining!" Allura stomped her foot.

Romelle giggled again. "You're right. If men had to give birth we would have died out in one generation!"

"Amen to that!" Allura snickered as the girls walked back into the Royal Apartment. Keith stopped pacing and smiled at Allura as soon as he saw her. Allura sat down on the couch and Keith laid down and put his head on her lap. Allura stroked his hair. Suddenly, Keith rolled off the couch and ran to the nearest trash can and vomited. "Okay, that's it, Keith, you're going back to Dr. Gorma!" Allura ordered.

"But, Allura, I don't want surgery!" Keith whined.

"Keith, you're not passing this stone on your own!" Allura put her hands on her hips. "You're miserable and you are in serious pain. I love you and don't like seeing you in pain!"

"Yes, dear," Keith looked down. "Will you stay with me?" He asked hopefully.

"Of course, my Heart," Allura kissed Keith. "If you'll excuse us, Romelle?"

"No problem, Cousin. If you need anything, just call me," Romelle hugged Allura.

"I will."

The Royal Couple hurried to the Infirmary. Dr. Gorma looked up when Keith came in. "Sire, what brings you here?"

"I can't pass this stone," Keith sighed.

"Well, let's get you admitted and get Dr. Bisignani over here," Dr. Gorma said.

"Thank you, Dr. Gorma," Allura said.

"This way, Sire," Dr. Gorma lead them into a hospital room. He handed Keith a hospital gown. "Change into that and get into bed. I'll send in a nurse to register you and the I.V. team to start an I.V."

"Oh joy," Keith rolled his eyes. "More I.V.s."

Allura swatted Keith's arm. "Be good, Keith," She said. "Here, let me help you change."

"Thank you, Love," Keith smiled weakly. He changed into the hospital gown and crawled into the bed.

A I.V. team technician came in and started Keith's I.V. in the bend of his elbow. Then the nurse registered him into the hospital. "Sire, Dr. Bisignani said you can have a tray of clear liquids and all the ginger ale you want until midnight, then it's nothing by mouth. You'll be having the surgery tomorrow."

Keith gulps. "Surgery?"

Dr. Bisignani walked in. "Yes, Sire, surgery. We're taking this stone out of you by surgical means."

"How will you take it out?" Keith rubbed his side.

"We'll go up through your ureter with a scope with a little grabber on the end and we'll snag the stone and pull it out," Dr. Bisignani said.

"Sounds painful," Keith shivered.

"You'll be asleep, Sire. We'll put you under and put a breathing tube down your throat."

"Oh," Keith paled. He paused to think. "Will I be able to perform after the surgery?"

"Oh, no, you'll never have an erection again. It comes with having a kidney stone, Sire. Oh and we'll have to shorten your manhood by three inches," Dr. Bisignani teased.

Keith went pale and fainted. "Oh, God, he fainted!" Allura exclaimed and patted Keith's face.

"I was only teasing," Dr. Bisignani exclaimed as he revived Keith.

Keith groaned and opened his eyes. "Oh, God!" He exclaimed. "I'm not having the surgery! I'll live with the pain!"

"I was only teasing you, Sire," The Urologist apologized. "I'm sorry. You'll be fine once you have the surgery."

"Seriously?" Keith asked skeptically.

"Seriously. You'll have a stent in for a week so no sexual activity for that week, but other than that you'll be fine," Dr. Bisignani reassured the King.

"Okay, what time will I have the surgery?" Keith asked.

"Sometime tomorrow afternoon. We have to put you on the schedule," Dr. Bisignani said.

"Okay," Keith nodded his head. He laid back against the hard hospital pillows. He winced. "Doctor, may I have something for the pain?"

"I'll check your chart and see when you had something last," The doctor said.

An orderly brought in a tray of clear liquids; chicken broth, apple juice, tea and orange Jell-O. Keith pushed the Jell-O away and sipped at the chicken broth.

"Are you going to eat your Jell-O, Love?" Allura asked.

"No. I hate it. It's too wiggly," Keith pouted.

"I'll eat it then," Allura said, picking up the bowl of Jell-O cubes. She ate the cubes one at a time, enjoying the look of disgust on Keith's face.

After he finished his "meal", the nurse came back in with syringe filled with Morphine. Soon Keith's eyes were blood shot and he fell asleep. Allura sighed with relief and crawled into the other bed and took a nap.

The next day passed slowly, with Keith getting medication for the pain every two to three hours. After each shot, he'd fall back asleep with little conversation. Finally, at 6 p.m., orderlies wheeled Keith up to the OR. Once he was on the table, an Anesthesiologist put an oxygen mask over Keith's face and let the sleeping gas flood it. Soon, Keith was completely out.

**~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~**

I was happy and snug in the ureter. Then, I saw it. A scope coming up towards me. I couldn't move away from it. I watched as steel tentacles wrapped around me and pulled. But I was lodged in too good. That's when they deployed the laser and sliced me into three separate parts. _Ouch! That hurts!_ Then, piece by piece I was dragged out of Keith and into the harsh light of the operating room...

**~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~**

"Sire," Came Dr. Gorma's voice from far away. "We got the stone. You're going to be fine."

Keith blinked his eyes open. "Oh," He managed to speak through a very sore throat.

"Expect a sore throat for a while from the breathing tube," Dr. Gorma said. "If you feel up to it, you can have some ginger ale."

"Okay," Keith whispered. "I like the ginger ale here," He admitted. A nurse handed him a small can of ginger ale. Keith sipped it slowly, wincing as the ginger ale slid down his throat.

After an hour in Recovery, Keith was taken back down to his room in the Infirmary. Allura smiled at her husband and stroked his hair after he was settled back in his bed. "Dr. Bisignani called us as soon as he finished the surgery," She said. "How do you feel?"

"Okay," Keith said. "Sleepy."

"Then rest, my love," Allura kissed Keith. Keith fell back asleep. Allura crawled into bed with Keith and wrapped her arms around him. Soon, she was asleep. After two hours of sleep, Keith woke up uncomfortable. "What's wrong, Keith?" Allura asked, yawning.

"I have to pee," He whispered.

"Page for the nurse," Allura said.

Keith paged for the nurse. The nurse answered the call bell. "Sire, what do you need?"

Keith blushed. "I have to go to the bathroom," He admitted.

"Let's get you out of bed, Sire," The nurse helped Keith out of the bed. His legs wobbled slightly then he was fine.

Once he was in the private bathroom, Keith peed. And peed. And peed. "I can't stop!" He yelled to the nurse.

"It's the stent, Sire," She explained.

Allura stood in the doorway. "Now you know how I feel," She teased her husband and giggled at the pained expression on his face.

Finally, Keith's stream stopped and he washed his hands. "When can I go home?" He asked the nurse.

"Well, you've kept down ginger ale and you've gotten out of bed on your own. And, you've voided. The only thing left to do is to eat solid foods. If you're hungry I can get you a boxed lunch."

"I'm starved," Keith smiled at the nurse.

"Very well, Sire, I shall get you a boxed lunch," The nurse said. She waited until Keith was settled in the bed then retrieved a boxed lunch for him. Again, Allura snagged the banana. And again, she bemoaned the lack of cheese for her snack. Keith slowly ate the tuna salad sandwich, but did not touch the pretzels or cookies. In fact, he looked pale.

"Love?" Allura rubbed his arm. "Are you okay?"

"I feel sick," He whined.

Allura immediately paged for the nurse. The nurse ran back in. "What's wrong, Sire?" She asked.

"He feels sick," Allura answered for Keith, since Keith was holding his hand over his mouth.

The nurse handed him a kidney basin and said "I'll get you something for the nausea," She said. She returned soon with a syringe filled with Compazine. "This will help you feel better, Sire," She promised. "But since you got sick after eating, you'll have to stay over night. If you can eat tomorrow morning with out getting sick, you can go home after breakfast."

"Rats," Keith sighed. Allura rubbed his back.

After his nausea settled down, Keith and Allura fell back asleep.

The next morning, Keith and Allura were both given trays of bland scrambled eggs (Allura asked for ketchup for hers, much to Keith's dismay), bacon, and bowls of Cheerios with out any sugar. Both had Orange juice to drink. This time, Keith's stomach cooperated and the day shift nurse smiled at the King and Queen. "As soon as we get this I.V. out of you, Sire, you can dress and go home," She declared.

"Thank you!" Keith grinned.

"Yes, thank you for taking such good care of my husband," Allura said. "All of the nurses were wonderful."

"I'll pass on the word to the other nurses, Your Highness," The nurse curtsied. The nurse removed the I.V., freeing Keith at last.

Keith quickly dressed in his jeans and tee shirt and tied on his red sneakers. "Let's go home, Love," He kissed Allura.

"I can't wait. You look so much better, Love. More color to your face."

"I feel better."

"That's wonderful." The Royal Couple walked back to the Royal Apartment.

THE END


End file.
